Threading means for yarn apparatus



May 12, 1964 E. w. STARNES THREADING MEANS FOR YARN APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1962 INVENTOR. Earl [A]. sfarnes ZJIB May 12, 1964, E. w. STARNES THREADING MEANS FOR YARN APPARATUS Filed March 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Earl M 5+arnes W, Rife rn e gs United States Patent Ofi ice 3,132,464 Patented May 12, 1964 This invention relates to apparatus for spinning and/or twisting yarns. Specifically, the present invention may be associatedwith the form of apparatus shown, described and claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,867,967, dated January 13, 1959, entitled Apparatus for Making Yam.

The problems solved by the present invention may be more fully understood by considering briefly the structure and operation of apparatus such as that disclosed in-the above patent. -As will be seen from an inspection of the apparatus of that patent, the strand or stock from sliver or roving passes from the attenuating section thereof downwardly through a hollow spindle and outwardly through a yarn passage in the flyer disc. I have found it difficult and time consuming to thread the strand through the passages, as when replenishing the supply package. Once threaded through the passages it heretofore has been necessary to employ a suitable piece or leader of'yarnto connect the end emerging from the flyer to the package being formed on the package builder. As heretofore constructed, it has not been possible to run the apparatus for a few seconds and then stop it in order to produce alength of yarn sufficient to reach from the flyer 'to the finished package. In prior apparawise would become entangled. Thus constructed, my improved apparatus is capable of producing a length of yarn suitable for direct connection with the packagebeing built.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is 'a front elevational view, partly in section, showing my invention applied to one form of twisting and attenuating apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the yarn collector adjacent the rotating flyer and showing the yarn passages through the hollow spindle and flyer;

FIG. 3 is a view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing the yarn guides associated with I the drawing rolls;

tus no means is provided to prevent such a length of yarn from becoming wrapped about and entangling in the machine. 1

Withthe foregoing in mind, my invention relates essentially to two principal features as follows: (l) Means automatically effective to thread the stock either from the attenuating rolls (if the machine is so equipped) or, directly from the supply package in case the apparatus is being used as a twister only and thence through the spindle and flyer disc, by the provision of guides effective to deliver the yarn end into the upper end of the passage in the spindle; and,

(2) Means positioned to cooperate with the flyer to receive yarn issuing therefrom and prevent its entanglement with the apparatus, whereby enough yarn to reach the package being built may be deposited in said means, permitting direct connection of the strand being produced to the take-up pack-age.

Briefly, I attain the above first named feature of my invention by utilizing the flow of air induced through the spindle and flyer yarn passages to draw the yarn end therethrough. As the flyer rotates, generally at speeds of from 2,000 to 8,000 r.p.m., a flow of air is induced downwardly through the spindle and thence through the flyer disc. I provide a tubular yarn passage and guide leading from immediately adjacent the nips of the bottomdelivery rolls to the upper end of the spindle passage, whereby the yarn is directed by the air flow and the yarn guide into the spindle passage and thereafter is moved through the spindle and flyer passages by the air drawn into the upper end of the guide. If the apparatus is being employed for attenuation, additional guides are positioned between the cooperating pairs of drafting rolls to guide the stock between adjacent pairs of cooperating drafting rolls.

I attain the above named second principal feature of my invention by providing around the periphery of the flyer disc a circular, open top, pan-like catcher or collector for the yarn issuing from the flyer. In association with the collector I provide circular guards around the parts of the apparatus with which such yarn other- FIG. 4 is a view taken generally along line 4-4.of FIG. 2 and showing the yarn tensioning member on the outer circumference of the flyer in advance of the outlet end of the yarn passage thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded plan view of the tension member on the flyer shown in FIG. 4; and,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of yarn collector in which the outer circumferential wall thereof is formed with an inwardly sloping inner surface.

Referring now to the drawings for a better under standing of my invention, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, Ishow a-housing 10 for the apparatus as a whole having sides 11 and 12 and a back 13. Housing 10 may be opened at the front for servicing the apparatus. a

A motor 14 is secured to housing side 11 by bracket 16. Motor shaft 15 carries a pulley 17. A pulley 18 fast on the lower end of shaft 20 is driven from motor 14 by belt 21 extending about pulleys 17 and 18.

Shaft 20 is mounted on radial bearing 22 which is carried by a support 23 in the form of a yarn collector which will be explained in detail later. Shaft 20 is also mounted in a lower bearing 25- and is provided with an axially extending yarn passage 24, the purpose of which will appear later. A hollow spindle 19 is secured to shaft 20 for rotation therewith.

Mounted on a radial bearing 26 theinner race of which is press fitted on spindle 19 is an elongated collar 30 which is secured to a tubular column 28. A second upper bearing 29 similar to lower bearing 26 is provided whereby spindle 19 rotates relative to column 28 and collar 30. Carried by column 28 is a support on the upper end thereof for a yarn supply package .32 having a strand S extending therefrom to-be drawn and twisted.

Mounted on spindle. 19 and shaft 20 is a flyer disc 33. Disc 33 has a passage 34 therein in communication with passage 24, thereby forming a common passageway for theyarn. Mounted by means of a screw 40 is a tension device 37 on the outer circumference of flyer 33 and positioned slightly in advance of passage 34 with respect to the direction of rotation of flyer 33. Tension device 37 has grooves therein to receive strand S. By positioning tension device 37 or a similar projection in advance of passage 34, the projection aids in creating a low pressure area directly adjacent the outlet of passage 34 thereby to create a flow of air to the low pressure area from spindle 19.

Mounted on support 23 are magnets 36, either of the permanent or electrically excitable type. Secured to col umn 28 is a cover plate 35 and a disc 45 of ferrous material. In view of the fact that flyer disc 33 is made of some material such as plastic which will not generate eddy cur 3 rents, the magnetic attraction between magnets 36 and disc 45 holds column 28 against rotation.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the drawing unit is mounted adjacent the upper end of column 28. The unit comprises an upper pair of back drawing rolls 38 and 39 to which strand 8 is first fed from a trumpet 41. It is understood that any number of pairs of cooperating drawing rolls may be provided. A lower pair of front drawing rolls 42 and 43 receives strand S from the upper rear drawing rolls. The rolls are driven by means of the rotating spindle 19 through a worm 44 secured to the upper end of spindle 19. Worm 44 engages worm gear 46 which drives spur gear 47. Spur gear 47 meshes 48 on shaft 49 on which front drawing is gears from S leaves flyer 33 it age 32 and is fed to a package shown). If desired, a shield may be gearing for the drawing rolls to keep the yarn coming entangled therein.

The above mentioned features are similar to those shown and described in my aforesaid prior Patent No. 2,867,967. The primary additional features which have been added to such apparatus will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 3, an upper tubular yarn guide 53 is secured to a plate 54 on column 28. Guide 53 extends between the upper pair of drawing rolls 38, 39 and the lower pair of drawing rolls 42, 43.

A lower tubular yarn guide 56 is secured to plate 57 on column 28. Plate 57 is secured to column 28 and is positioned beneath the lower pair of rolls 42 and 43. The upper end of guide 56 is tapered as at 58 so that it may fit closely adjacent the bite or nips of lower rolls 42 and 43. The lower end 59 of guide 56 is positioned in running contact with the upper end of worm 44 on spindle 19 so that there is practically no air gap between guide 56 and spindle 19.

Upon rotation of spindle 19 and flyer 33 air is inducted in the upper end of lower yarn guide 56 and flows downwardly through passage 24 in spindle 19 and outwardly through passage 34 in fiyer 33. Thus, a stock end may be quickly drawn from the drawing rolls through flyer 33.

When the apparatus is initially threaded, it is desirable to have a collector for the yarn issuing from passage 34 of fiyer 33. Support 23 provides a yarn collector and comprises a bottom wall 61 having an outer circumferential side wall 62 extending vertically upwardly therefrom above and outwardly of flyer 33. An inner wall 63 extends upwardly from bottom wall 61 and the upper end thereof fits within a groove 64 on the lower surface of disc 33.

A circular guard 66 to which disc 45 is secured is, in turn, secured to column 28 and is positioned over the upper surface of flyer 33. Guard 66 comprises cover plate 35 secured to column 28 and having a downwardly extending flange 69 on the outer circumference thereof extending in a groove 71 formed on the upper surface of flyer 33.

In operation, for initially threading the apparatus from a filled supply package 32, the stock end is fed between upper drawing rolls 38 and 39 and is guided by guide 53 to the lower pair of drawing rolls 42 and 43. Immediately, with flyer 33 rotating, air being drawn within the upper end of guide 56 draws the stock end within passage 24 of the spindle 19 and the end is quickly drawn through passage 34 of flyer 33. A sufficient length or leader of stock issues from passage 34 and collects within collector 23 to reach from flyer 33 to a package on the package builder (not shown). Upon stopping the rotation of flyer 33, the yarn end may be taken from collector 23 and connected to the take-up package.

forms a balloon about supply packon a package builder (not placed about the from betor keep'the yarn from Referring to FIG. 6, a modified form of yarn'collector I is shown in which an outer circumferential wall '13 has an inwardly tapering surface 74. By providing a tapering or sloping surface 74, yarn which is fed within the collector will remain therein and not tend to slip over the upper end or edge of wall 73.

From the foregoing, it will be understood I have provided threading means for yarn spinning and/ or twisting apparatus which utilizes the flow of air induced within a yarn guide and hollow spindle by the centrifugal motion of a rotating flyer and projection thereon to draw the yarn through the yarn passages therein. The yarn collector is disposed around the periphery of the flyer to catch the yarn issued from the flyer upon initial threading of the apparatus. Guards associated with the collecbecoming .entangled in the apparatus.

While I have shown my invention in more than one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with yarn twisting and attenuating apparatus in which stock is fed from drawing rolls downwardly through a hollow spindle and outwardly through a communicating yarn passage in a flyer secured to the spindle with a figure of revolution being generated by the yarn about the attenuating apparatus, of

(a) a relatively fixed tubular yarn guide extending between the hollow spindle and the front drawing rolls, the upper end of-the guidefitting closely between the front drawing rolls and the lower end thereof being disposed closely adjacent the upper end of the hollow spindle whereby a substantially closed continuous yarn passage is' provided from'the front drawing rolls through the flyer,

(b) and a relatively fixed yarn collector adjacent the outer circumference of the flyer, said collector having a bottom wall beneath the flyer and a circumferential wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a height above the flyer and being open at its top, whereby yarn issuing from the flyer upon initial threading of the apparatus is caught within the collector.

2. The combination with two-for-one fiber twisting and attenuating apparatus in which stock is fed from drawing rolls downwardly through a hollow spindle and thence outwardly through a communicating radially extending yarn passage on a flyer secured to the spindle with a ballooning figure of revolution generated about the drawing rolls, of

(a) a relatively fixed'tubular yarn guide disposed with its lower end in close running fit to the upper end of the hollow spindle and disposed at its upper end closely adjacent the front drawing rolls to form a continuous substantially closed yarn passage from the front drawing rolls through the flyer whereby yarn is guided into the hollow spindle and is moved through the continuous yarn passage by air drawn into the guide from beneath the front drawing rolls,

(b) and an open top, pan-like yarn'collector around the outer circumference of the flyer, said collector having a bottom beneath the flyer and a side extending upwardly from the bottom to a height above the flyer whereby yarn issuing from the flyer upon initial threading 'of the apparatus is caught within the collector.

3. In apparatus for twisting yarn,

(a) a stock supply package,

- (b) a hollow spindle to receive stock package,

(c) a flyer secured to said spindle for rotation therewith and having a radially extending yarn passage from the supply communicating with the hollow spindle whereby upon rotation of the spindle air therein flows through the yarn passage in the flyer,

(d) a relatively fixed tubular guide positioned with a close running fit against the stock receiving end of the hollow spindle and forming a substantially closed continuous yarn passage therewith whereby air is drawn into the stock receiving end of the tubular guide upon rotation of the spindle,

(e) and a relatively fixed open top pan-like yarn collector around the outer circumference of the flyer forming a receptacle for yarn beneath and adjacent the flyer whereby yarn issuing from the flyer upon initial threading of the apparatus is caught therein.

4. In apparatus for attenuating and twisting yarn in which stock is fed from a stock supply package to drawing rolls and a ballooning figure of revolution is generated about the supply package and drawing rolls,

(a) a hollow spindle having an open stock receiving end to receive stock from an adjacent pair of drawing rolls,

(b) a flyer secured to said spindle for rotation there with and having a radially extending yarn pass-age communicating with the hollow spindle,

(c) a relatively fixed tubular guide positioned at one end in close running fit with the yarn receiving end of the spindle and positioned at the other end closely adjacent said pair of drawing rolls whereby upon rotation of the spindle air is drawn within the tubular guide from beneath the drawing rolls and flows through the spindle outwardly of the flyer,

(d) and a relatively fixed yarn collector around the outer circumference of the flyer, said collector having a bottom beneath the flyer and a side extending upwardly from the bottom to a height above the flyer whereby yarn issuing from the flyer upon initial threading of the apparatus is caught within the collector.

5. In apparatus for attenuating and twisting yarn in which stock is fed from a stock supply package to upper and lower pairs of drawing rolls,

(a) a vertically extending hollow spindle having an upper open stock receiving end to receive stock from the lower pair of drawing rolls,

(b) a flyer secured to said spindle for rotation there with and having a radially extending yarn passagt therein communicating with the hollow spindle,

(c) a first relatively fixed tubular guide having its lowered closely adjacent the stock receiving end of the spindle and having its upper end closely adjacent the nips of the lower pair of drawing rolls, whereby upon rotation of the spindle air is drawn within said first tubular guide and flows through the spindle outwardly of the flyer,

(d) and a relatively fixed yarn collector around the outer circumference of the flyer, said collector comprising a bottom beneath the flyer, an outer side extending upwardly from the bottom to a height above the flyer whereby yarn issuing from the flyer upon initial threading of the apparatus is caught within the collector, and an inner side extending upwardly from the bottom to a position closely adjacent the bottom surface of the fiyer thereby to retain the yarn in the resulting receptacle formed between the inner and outer sides.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 in which a relatively fixed cover plate is positioned over a major portion of the upper surface of the flyer thereby to keep the yarn from being entangled in the apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,379,806 Kent July 3, 1945 2,391,307 Gwalmey et al Dec. 18, 1945 2,563,641 Colombu et al Aug. 7, 1951 2,571,854 Foster Oct. 16, 1951 2,662,364 Kingsbury Dec. 15, 1953 2,814,925 Vibber Dec. 3, 1957 2,867,967 Starnes Jan. 13, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 725,283 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1955 304,680 hvitzerland Apr. 1, 1955 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH YARN TWISINTING AND ATTENUATING APPARATUS IN WHICH STOCK IS FED FROM DRAWING ROLLS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A HOLLOW SPINDLE AND OUTWARDLY THROUGH A COMMUNICAING YARN PASSAGE IN A FLYER SECURED TO THE SPINDLE WITH A FIGURE OF REVOLUTION BEING GENERATED BY THE YARN ABOUT THE ATTENUATING APPARATUS, OF (A) A RELATIVELY FIXED TUBULAR YARN GUIDE EXTENDING BETWEEEN THE HOLLOW SPINDLE AND THE FRONT DRAWING ROLLS, THE UPPER END OF THE GUIDE FITTING CLOSELY BETWEEN THE FRONT DRAWING ROLLS AND THE LOWER END THEREOF BEING DISPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE HOLLOW SPINDLE WHEREBY A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CONTINUOUS YARN PASSAGE IS PROVDIED FROM THE FRONT DRAWING ROLLS THROUGH THE FLYER, (B) AND A RELATIVELY FIXED YARN COLLECTOR ADJACENT THE OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE FLYER, SAID COLLECTOR HAVING A BOTTOM WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM WALL TO A HEIGHT ABOVE THE FLYER AND BEING OPEN AT ITS TOP, WHEREBY YARN ISSUING FROM THE FLYER UPON INITIAL THREADING OF THE APPARATUS IS CAUGHT WITHIN THE COLLECTOR. 